Hydrotherapy apparatus



March 1956 c. JACUZZI ET AL HYDROTHERAPY APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 5, 1954 FIE 1 INVENTORJ' CAND/DO JACUZZ/ FLOYD M NASH 51 M W 8 m ATTORNEYS h 1955 c. JAcuzzLEr AL 2,738,787

HYDROTHERAPY APPARATUS File g- 5. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I l v INVENTORS 2 Q "cA/vo/oo JACUZZ/ FLOYD M NASH A T 7ORNEVS United States Patent HYDROTHERAPY APPARATUS Candido Jacuzzi, Lafayette, and Floyd M. Nash, Berkeley, Calif., assignors to Jacuzzi Bros., Inc., Richmond, Calih, a corporation of California Application August 5, 1954, Serial No. 448,054

8 Claims. (Cl. 128-66) This invention relates to hydrotherapy apparatus, and more particularly to an improved circulator pump assembly adapted to be employed in bath tanks and tubs for the treatment of patients and to be used by nonpatients for the therapeutic effects to be derived from hydro-massage.

An object of the invention is to provide a compact and relatively light weight circulator pump assembly which may be readily moved from place to place and which may be positioned for use at any desired location within a bath tub, or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a circulator pump assembly particularly adapted for use in a tub or tank as hydrotherapy apparatus, with said assembly having a horizontally disposed outlet nozzle so supported with respect to the tub or tank as to permit, as by pedipulation, ready rotative positioning thereof about a vertical axis.

A further object of the invention is to provide a circulator pump of the type described having a nozzle assembly which is horizontally and rotatably movable, with said assembly being so formed and disposed with respect to the pumping element that it will remain in any given position of adjustment without any tendency to be moved therefrom by reaction force of the outlet flow from the nozzle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a circulator pump having an adjustably positionable nozzle assembly embodying novel foot-control means for both varying the directional position of the nozzle and the rate of outlet flow therethrough.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide in a pump of the type described a venturi-type outlet nozzle which itself serves as the movable element of the water flow control valve.

And yet a further object of the invention is to provide in association with the inlet side of a pump of the type described novel means for filtering the water delivered to the pumping element.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings forming part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view of the pump of the invention, the motor housing being shown in side elevation;

Figure 2 is a view in perspective showing the components of the pump assembly; and

Figure 3 is a view in section taken along lines 3-3 of Figure 2.

With immediate reference to Figure 2, the apparatus of the invention comprises, broadly, a pump housing 10, an impeller-type pump element 12, a top 14 for the housing, and a nozzle assembly 16. In the housing 10, which is provided with a base portion 18 having a plurality of inlet apertures 20 and a channel-shaped rubber footing 22, there is formed an impeller chamber 24 having in communicaion therewith a pair of oppositely disposed and oppositely directed volute-shaped passageways 26. The

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housing wall 28 forming the bottom of chamber 24 is provided with a centrally disposed opening 30 through which water passes into the eye of impeller 12, said wall 28 being provided at its underside with guide vanes 32. Slidably disposed between guide vanes 32 and flange members 34 forming a part of housing 10 and supported by said flange members is a rectangular frame 36 having a plurality of lugs 38 serving to support and hold a filter pad 42 in place therein. Water passing through the apertures 20 is filtered by the pad 42 before entering the impeller chamber 24.

The housing top 14 is provided with a plate portion 44 and a flow passageway portion indicated generally at 46 and shown in detail in Figure 3. The plate portion 44 of the housing top is provided with bolt holes 48 disposed in matching relation with bolt holes 50 formed in housing 10 whereby top 14 is secured to housing 10 by bolts, not shown. The flow passageway portion 46 of the housing top 14 has defined therein: apertures 52 disposed in overlying relation with the outer ends of volute-shaped passageways 26; radially directed flow passageways 54 communicating at their inner ends with a vertically disposed annular passageway 56, defined between the integral internal sleeve 58 and external shell 60 portions of flow passageway portion 46; and circumferentially spaced apertures 62 formed in external shell portion 60.

Nozzle assembly 16, which is supported on annular shoulder 64 formed integral with passageway portion 46 of housing top 14 and mounted for rotation about the external shell portion 60 of said passageway portion, comprises: a ring-shaped member 66 having an annular chamber 68 defined therein in communication with apertures, or ports, 62; a nozzle housing 78 extending radially from said ring-shaped member and formed integral therewith; a nozzle member 80 provided with external threads 82 disposed in engagement with internally threaded opening 84 of nozzle housing 78; and an air delivery tube 86 having its lower end in threaded engagement with the internally threaded boss 88 forming a part'of nozzle housing 78.

Formed within chamber 68 integral with member 66 is a frusto-conical valve seat 90. The passageway 92 formed in nozzle 80 serves as a venturi, said passageway having an outwardly flared rearward portion 94, a throat portion 96, and an outwardly tapered forward portion 98.

Sealing rings are disposed within annular grooves formed in member 66, and a snap ring 102 carried within annular groove 104 formed in the upper end of sleeve 58 serves to retain the nozzle assembly against any appreciable vertical movement.

An electrical motor of the submersible type, not shown, is disposed within a sealed casing 106, said casing being provided with a carrying bail 108. Depending from the casing 106 is a stationary double diametral hub 110 which is supported on internal shoulder 112 formed in sleeve 58 and secured to said sleeve, as by set screws 114. Motor shaft 116 extends through hub 110, and hub portion 118 of the impeller 12 is secured to said shaft against relative rotation therewith, as by a key, not shown, and against endwise movement with respect to said shaft by shoulder 118 integral with said shaft, thrust washer 120 and screw 122.

Casing 106 is movable upwardly with respect to hub 110, either by way of the buoyant action of the water on the casing when the water level reaches a predetermined height or by a lifting motion imparted to bail 108, to close a switch, not shown, disposed within the casing, thereby energizing the electric motor. Conversely, when the water level drops to a predetermined point, the casing moves downwardly to a slight degree to cause said switch to be opened, thereby de-energizing said motor. This float-type switch control aspect of casing 106 does not per se form part of the present invention, and thus the switch arrangement is not disclosed in detail.

When the motor is energized to drive the impeller 12, water is drawn through the ports and housing opening into the eye of the impeller to be centrifugally urged outwardly by the impeller blades 124 into the voluteshaped passages 26. The pressurized water then follows the following course before issuing as a jet stream from nozzle upwardly through apertures 52 in the fluid passageway portion 46 of housing top l4; radially inwardly through passages 54; upwardly through annular passageway 56; radially outwardly through ports 62 into chamber 68; and around valve seat and through the nozzle 80.

Air tube 86 is provided at its upper end with a plurality of radially spaced apertures 126 and with a rubber cap 128 frictionally engaged therewith, said cap 128 having a plurality of radially spaced apertures 130. The amount of air induced into the jet stream through the tube 86 and aperture 132 formed in the nozzle 80 is controlled by ad justing the degree of registry of holes 126 and 130. When cap apertures are fully out of registry with tube apertures 126, the cap 128 serves as an air-tight closure for tube 86.

Means are provided in the circulator pump assembly described for enabling the user of the apparatus to control with his feet both the rate of outlet flow of water and the directional orientation of the outlet flow, thus enabling the user to accomplish these adjustments without shifting his position. sembly 16 is provided with a pair of oppositely directed foot bars 134 (Figure 2) whereby this rotatable assembly may be foot-steered, or oriented, and nozzle 80 is provided with a foot controlled handle comprising ring 138 and equi-spaced radially extending fingers 140 which are sufficiently spaced apart to enable the user to insert a toe between adjacent ones and thereby impart a rotary adjustment motion to nozzle 80. Rotary motion of nozzle 80 in a clockwise, with reference to Figure 2, direction serves to thread the nozzle inwardly of nozzle housing 78 to bring that internal wall portion of the nozzle which defines the outwardly flared rearward portion 94 of nozzle passage 92 into valve closing engagement with seat 90. The nozzle assembly 16 is further provided with a downwardly projected lug 142 serves, in association with the side edges of portion 46 of housing top 14, as a stop member to limit the degree of pivotal movement which may be imparted to the nozzle assembly.

It will be appreciated that the arrangement of the nozzle assembly is such, i. e. the ring-shaped member 66 and is to say, the nozzle will not kick back to a given position when adjusted to another, and thus it is not necessary to employ any means to hold the nozzle in a given position of adjustment. If such holding means were needed, free pedipulation of the apparatus would be prevented.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the hydrotherapy apparatus of the invention enables the accomplishment of the objects initially setforth herein, and while a specific embodiment of the apparatus has been illustrated and described itis to be understood that all substantial equivalents thereof are considered to be within the spirt and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Hydrotherapy apparatus. comprising a housing, an impeller disposed therein for rotation, passageway means defined in said housing and disposed beneath the level of said impeller, a nozzle assembly pivotally mounted on said housing above said impeller, intercommunicating passageway means defined in said housing and said as sembly adapted for the delivery of water from said impeller to and through said assembly, and a pair of oppo- Thus, the rotatable nozzle assitely directed foot bars extending outwardly from said assembly whereby said assembly may be pivotally oriented by foot.

2. Hydrotherapy apparatus comprising a housing, an impeller disposed therein for rotation, passageway means defined in said housing for the delivery of water to said impeller, a nozzle assembly pivotally mounted on said housing, intercommunicating passageway means defined in said housing and said assembly adapted for the delivery of water from said impeller to and through said assembly, said nozzle assembly further comprising a valve seat fixedly disposed within the passageway means defined therein and an open-ended outlet nozzle mounted for endwise movement toward and into passageway means closing engagement with said valve seat and away from said seat, said outlet nozzle having a venturi passage therethrough forming part of the passageway means of said assembly.

3. Hydrotherapy apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said outlet nozzle being threadably associated with said assembly whereby rotary movement thereof results in said endwise movement, said outlet nozzle having at its outer end a plurality of spaced apart and radially extending finger elements whereby rotary leverage may be readily applied to said nozzle by foot.

4. Hydrotherapy apparatus comprising a housing, an impeller disposed therein for rotation, passageway means defined in said housing for the delivery of water to said impeller, a nozzle assembly mounted on said housing for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, intercommunieating passageway means defined in said housing and said assembly adapted for the delivery of water from said impeller to and through said assembly, said nozzle assembly further comprising a valve seat fixedly disposed within the passageway means defined therein and an openended horizontally directed outlet nozzle mounted for endwise movement toward said seat and into passageway means closing engagement therewith and away from said seat and into passageway means opening relation therewith, means carried by said outlet nozzle whereby said endwise movement can be imparted thereto by foot, and means comprising a pair of oppositely directed foot bars extending horizontally from said assembly at right angles to said outlet nozzle whereby said assembly may be pivoted in either direction by foot.

5. Hydrotherapy apparatus as set forth in claim 4 said outlet nozzle being threadably associated with said assembly whereby rotary movement thereof results in said endwise movement, with said foot control means carried by said nozzle comprising a plurality of spaced apart and radially extending finger elements.

6. Hydrotherapy apparatus comprising a housing, an impeller disposed therein for rotation, a nozzle assembly mounted on said housing for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, said assembly being in flow outlet relation to said impeller, a vertically disposed tube mounted on said assembly whereby air may be aspirated into said assembly, and a rubber cap rotatably fitted on the upper end of said tube, said cap and the upper end of said tube having complemental apertures adapted to be broughtinto and out of registry by rotative movement of said cap, with said cap being adapted to air seal said tube when said'apertures are out of registry.

7. Hydrotherapy apparatus adapted to be supported on the bottom of a tank or the like comprising a housing, an impeller disposed therein for rotation, a nozzle assembly including a horizontally disposed nozzle mounted'on said housing, passageway means defined in said housing and nozzle assembly for the delivery of fluid from said impeller through said assembly, and means supporting said nozzle assembly for horizontally directed rotative movement relative to the bottom of said tank.

8. Hydrotherapy apparatus comprising a housing, an impeller disposed therein for rotation about a vertical axis, flow passageway means carried by said housing including a hub-like member, said means being adapted to receive fluid from said impeller and channel it upwardly into said hub-like member and radially outwardly through said hub-like member, a ring-shaped member sleeved on said hub-like member for free rotative movement thereon, said ring-shaped member being adapted to receive the fluid passing through said hub-like member, an outlet nozzle for said ring-shaped member, and means connecting said nozzle to said ring-shaped member to prevent relative horizontally directed pivotal movement therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

